SOC 175: Quantitative Research Methods in Sociology

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Common Course ID:  SOC 175
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait

Abstract: This open textbook is being utilized in a sociology course for undergraduate or graduate students by Aseem Hasnain at Fresno State University. The open textbook provides conceptual training in research methods. The main motivation to adopt an open textbook was reducing book costs to zero. Most students access the open textbook in PDF form.

SOC 175: Quantitative Research Methods in Sociology
Brief Description of course highlights:  This is an advanced undergraduate social science quantitative research methods course. our emphasis will be on survey research methods and design. It will introduce you to the research process with a special focus on research ethics, measurement, sampling, data collection, data analysis, and report preparation. This course will also cover the basic assumptions and dilemmas of social science research. During this course students will hone their understanding of research design and social science methodologies through applied exercises and projects. https://socialsciences.fresnostate.edu/sociology/degrees/courses/index.html 

Student population: Sociology majors, with typical incoming knowledge of statistics and introductory courses in sociology.

Learning or student outcomes:  After completing this course, students should be able to:
- Describe and explain concepts like sampling methods, representativeness, and generalizability.
- Apply and relate with the general logic of descriptive statistical methods, including mean, standard deviation, and frequency tables to a dataset.
- Use Stata (statistical software package) to create graphs, make crosstabs, and run inferential statistical tests.
- Interpret and describe output from a Stata run.
- Apply and relate the general logic of inferential statistical methods, including t-tests, chi-square tests, crosstabs, and regression analysis to a dataset.
Understand research ethics broadly defined.
-  Conduct a small-scale quantitative research project by asking a feasible research question; framing it in terms of relevant social science literatures; analyzing a relevant dataset; and proposing an answer to the research question using a dataset

Textbook or OER/Low cost Title:  Research Methods in Sociology

Brief Description:  I will be using one of these two alternatives:
1..Sheppard, Valerie, and Open Textbook Library. 2020. Research Methods for the Social Sciences : An Introduction. [Place of publication not identified]: BCcampus. https://open.umn.edu/opentextbooks/textbooks/1589 .
2. Gray, James. Research Methods JIBC Text (Full citation not provided by author/publishers)

Student access:  Through Canvas, as a pdf file.

Supplemental resources:
-  Handouts on Canvas
-  Lecture Slides
-  Lab Sheets

Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook. Approx $70

License*: Openly licensed

OER/Low Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low Cost option.  This OER book fulfills the same purpose as the current book, at zero cost

How did you find and select the open textbook for this course?  Searched the internet, reviewed multiple alternatives before short listing two books.

Sharing Best Practices: OER books have evolved very well over the last decade and are of great quality. Complemented with lecture and class activities these are great resources at no cost to the students.

Instructor Name -Aseem Hasnain
I am a sociology professor at the Fresno State University. 
Please provide a link to your university page.
https://socialsciences.fresnostate.edu/sociology/fac-staff/index.html

Please describe the courses/course numbers that you teach.
I teach SOC 175, SOC 153, SOC 111.

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching.